School of Music

Thrive: Lifetime Scholarship

A budding music student is in the running to win free university tuition for life.

Aimee Louise Paddock has reached the final of the University’s Thrive Challenge – the culmination of a series of rigorous challenges offering one outstanding student the chance of a Lifetime Scholarship.

The Thrive Challenge involved a series of tests and activities designed to identify the most exceptional applicant to the University.

Finalist Ainee Louise Paddock, who plans to study music from September said: “The Thrive Challenge was too good an opportunity to miss and the possibility of winning a lifetime scholarship was definitely worth spending time on. I found the first two challenges the hardest as they involved a lot of research. I really enjoyed making the video as it was such a creative challenge.

“I chose to study at Cardiff because the university has a really good reputation. I really like Cardiff as a city and think it will be a nice place to live. The staff also seem really supportive – as I am profoundly deaf, an important factor for me was how the disability advisors and music staff reacted when I asked them about what help I could be given. Cardiff’s staff members were exceptionally helpful compared to other universities I contacted.

“It would be absolutely amazing if I won the scholarship. It would take away a lot of the financial burden that going to university will create. It will also allow me to continue my studies after my undergraduate degree which is something that would be difficult for me to do otherwise.”

Over the last five months the applicants have faced a series if challenges testing their academic ability through online tests, as well as giving them a chance to express their creativity and personality by producing an online video.

To decide on the winner, the six finalists will take part in an assessment day final at Cardiff University to take part in a group challenge, one-to-one interviews and give a ten minute presentation on the subject they have applied to study.

The winner will be announced on Thursday 10th May.

Louise Casella, Director of Strategic Development said: “We launched the Challenge to generate extra excitement around Cardiff University’s 2012 undergraduate recruitment campaign, ‘Thrive’, and recognise the quality of applicants we continue to attract each year.

“It has been a resounding success and we were hugely impressed with the calibre of the entrants and particularly the six finalists.”